Search form

Main menu

News

Morgan Sindall leads recruitment of the best young civil engineers through ICE QUEST programme

Morgan Sindall is continuing its successful long-term initiative with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) to identify, support and promote the Civil Engineering talent of the future.

Construction and Infrastructure company Morgan Sindall, as well as sister firm, Morgan Sindall Professional Services (MSPS), a multidisciplinary design and engineering consultancy, were once again leading corporate partners for an annual scholarship programme to encourage high-achieving and driven A-Level students to choose a career in Civil Engineering.

Morgan Sindall has been working with the ICE for ten years to inspire and mentor the sharpest young minds as they embark on Civil Engineering degrees. The culmination of the application process is the annual Queen’s Jubilee Scholarship Trust (QUEST) interview day, this year held on 9th September.

The interview day saw leading employers take part in a ‘speed-dating’ process to recruit future civil engineers from a final shortlist of 124 candidates chosen from over 400 applicants.

QUEST was set up in 1977, to encourage talented A-Level students into choosing civil engineering degrees. The ICE and their corporate partners offer annual scholarships and placement opportunities to selected students, enabling them to develop a strong relationship with future employers from the start of their degree.

Morgan Sindall students undertake regular placements and orientation events, enabling them to relate university studies to their future careers and get to know their future employer. With career mentors, they receive valuable sponsorship whilst at university and paid employment during their placements.

This year Morgan Sindall will be sponsoring 18 students to work on sites across its Infrastructure Division and MSPS offices in Salford Quays, Manchester and Eurocentral, Scotland.

Andy Gotts, MSPS’s director for civil and structural engineering, says: “QUEST is a unique opportunity which goes far beyond academic value and straight forward experience. MSPS has an excellent track record of recruiting some of the brightest scholars. They gain hands-on experience, quickly getting to work on live projects and have their own responsibilities.”

In September, two former QUEST scholars, Carolyn Wright and James Brown joined the MSPS team as graduate engineers. James applauds the scheme as a driver throughout his degree: “It provides scholars with a gateway to their careers and fantastic experience with top consultants and contractors. Placements such as these tip scholars towards success, creating experienced undergraduates with access to year-round support.

"Coupled with early access to the ICE graduate training agreement, scholars gain a head start in signing off attributes and working towards chartership.”

Tony O’Donnell, Morgan Sindall’s engineering director and leader of the QUEST Programme says: “After ten years of participation and investment, the company is seeing our QUEST scholars and graduates thriving within the business, with initial cohorts now going forward for Chartered Professional Review.

“Our QUEST scholars undertake highly responsible roles from their first undergraduate placements and when they graduate they progress quickly in their early careers. With major schemes like HS2, Thames Tideway and Crossrail 2 on the horizon, we are already mentoring these young people for the roles we know they will ably fill after they graduate. They are an inspiring bunch and a testimony to what can be achieved when passion and ambition for engineering is combined with focused mentoring.”